181. Trump grants automakers temporary relief from tariffs
Scott Horsley discusses President Trump's decision to temporarily relieve automakers from tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico.
182. Unshackling the Shackled Leviathan
Pierre Lemieux discusses the dangers of executive overreach and the erosion of classical liberalism in the context of current U.S. political events.
183. Fed's Beige Book: "Overall economic activity rose slightly"
Calculated Risk discusses the Federal Reserve's Beige Book, highlighting slight economic growth, consumer spending trends, and labor market conditions across various districts.
184. Dozens of Canadians are charged for scamming American grandparents out of $21 million
Rachel Treisman discusses the arrest of 25 Canadians for scamming American seniors out of $21 million by posing as their grandchildren.
185. Nearly 6,000 USDA workers fired by Trump ordered back to work for now
Andrea Hsu reports on the temporary reinstatement of nearly 6,000 USDA workers fired under Trump due to a ruling by the Merit Systems Protection Board.
186. Is Social Security a Ponzi Scheme?
Alex Tabarrok discusses the debate on whether Social Security resembles a Ponzi scheme, referencing insights from notable economists like Paul Samuelson and Milton Friedman.
187. America is Trapped in a Burning Tesla
Paul Krugman critiques the complacency of business leaders regarding Trump's policies and highlights the negative economic consequences of his tariffs and Musk's management of federal agencies.
188. ICE Mortgage Monitor: Property Insurance Costs Rose at a Record Rate in 2024
Bill McBride discusses the record rise in property insurance costs in 2024, driven by natural disaster losses, significantly impacting overall mortgage payments.
189. Designing your diff in diff with a checklist, step 2: counting the treated counties
Scott Cunningham discusses the importance of identifying and counting treated units in difference-in-differences analysis for causal inference in research.
190. Macro Lecture Notes on Mass Deportation/Immigration Restriction
Menzie Chinn discusses the economic impacts of mass deportation and immigration restriction, including effects on the labor force and social security.
191. MBA: Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
Calculated Risk discusses a significant increase in mortgage applications and declining mortgage rates, citing data from Joel Kan of the MBA.
192. A Sixth Double-Fluke Switch Point For A Triple-Switching Example
Robert Vienneau discusses the analysis of switch points in economic models, focusing on the implications of double-fluke cases and their effects on profits and output.
193. Why Tariff Inflation Won't Be Just a Blip
The discussion highlights how tariff-driven inflation is likely to persist due to supply-side factors, price stickiness, and the complexities of economic policy responses.
194. The Outlook for Grocery Prices and Eggs (pre-tariff)
Menzie Chinn analyzes grocery price forecasts and egg prices, highlighting potential increases due to tariffs on Mexican imports.
195. The Evolution of Sanctions
Scott Sumner discusses the changing nature of sanctions, particularly U.S. secondary sanctions, and their political implications over time.
196. The Parable of Peanut the Memecoin
Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi discusses the rise of memecoins and their implications in the attention economy through the story of a famous animal influencer.
197. Is the Panama Canal a rip-off?
Wailin Wong examines the costs of using the Panama Canal and the political tensions between the U.S. and Panama regarding its management and fees.
198. China's parliament opens with confidence about the economy despite tariffs, headwinds
John Ruwitch discusses China's economic growth target of around 5% amidst domestic challenges and U.S. tariffs on imports.
199. Is China inventing big important things?
Noah Smith discusses China's technological advancements and innovation, contrasting it with historical powers while questioning the impact of autocracy on creativity and scientific progress.
200. Browbeating Trump’s Bete Noire into Submission via Trade War
Menzie Chinn critiques Trump's handling of trade policies and their implications for the economy and inflation.